Stoker link



M h 21, 1933. H, WANDUNG 1,902,149

STOKER LINK Filed Feb. 24, 1952 Patented Mar. 21, 1933 HARRY T.WANDLING, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS 4 sroxnn LINK Application filed February24, 1932. Seria1-!o. 594,919%.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in stokerlinks, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter fully describedand claimed.

The main objects of my invention are to provide means for producingfirst, a selfcleaning link; second, a free discharge of the accumulateddirt from the eyes of the link; third, a non-gripping engagement of feach eye of said link with its pivot rod;

fourth, a reduction of frictional engagement between the eye and itsrod; fifth, continued flexible mounting of the links on their pivot Vrods; sixth, practical avoidance'of danger of fracture of the links inflexing; and seventh,

reduction of operating power required to pull a stoker chain grate whencomposed of my links.

In the usual formof stoker links, the circular eyes of such linksconnected by their pivot rods, become stiff and rigid on the rods fromdeposit of waste dirt or semifluid material from the active gratesurface above them. The heat of combustion bakes such accumulated wastedirt during the twenty or thirty minutes that the links are passing fromthe front to the rear of the stoker..and often cements the rods in theeyes so that when the and rigid engagement with the rods, and will notflex to pass around the rear roller without considerable exertion ofpulling force to restore their pivotal engagement. This often results infracture of the links in the middle or in the eyes, and always requiresgreater pulling power than if the original flexible engagement of thelinks and rods was substantially maintained.

My improved form of link practically overcomes the above difficulties bymeans now to be described.

In the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals indicatecorresponding parts,

Fig. 1 represents a side view of my improved stoker link;

Fig. 2, a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking upward;

Fig. 3, a side view of several of my links usual manner.

alternately arranged on their pivot rods in a chain grate stoker; and iT Fig. 4, a bottom plan view of the same. Referring to the drawing, thenumeral 1 designates the top of a stoker link of any 5 suitableconstruction, having a comparatively' thin central web 2, with eyes nearthe ends for pivotal mounting on transverse pivot rodsa. I i i i Theseeyes: are preferably horizontally elongatedmore pr less, towards thecenter of Y the link, or otherwise cut away slantingly from the usualcylindrical bearing construction, so as to form bearing surfaces 5ofsubstantially semicircular shape at their'oppo- "35 site extreme ends,.for flexible engagement with opposite sides of adjacent rods mountedtherein. The unoccupied open spacesjor cut away bearing portion 6 ofsaid eyes are ad- ,7 jacent to each other in each link, in normaloperative position of the stoker grate formed by multiple links mountedon their pivot rods, which rods are disposed normally at the oppositeends of said eyes: as the grate is pulled along in an endless chain withthe superposed bed of coal or other material, by the usual drivingsprockets (not shown) in the These semicircular. end bearing surfacesare widened by similar hubs projecting lat- 3i) erally from the web ofthe link, but one or both sides of the hubs are cut away slantingly at 3to substantially the thickness of the web- "at said'open spaces, asshown in the bottom plan, Fig. 4:. Y When the lower' hub portion only iscut away, the remaining upper portion 5 shields said open space like 'ahood from the sifting material, when traveling in the upper row of thegrate, but during the return travel in the lower row this hood wouldbecome a pan and collect material thereon which wouldtend to bind thelinks on the rods and obstruct their pivotal action while passingupwardaround the front sprockets into the upper row. I therefore cut away thisweb above and below the open end of the eye from sub stantially thevertical central plane through the rods towards the center of the linkas shown at 3 in the figures, and thus avoid forming a pan when the linktravels in the lower row of the grate. Such a pan is provided by a priorlink which has a portion of its elongated eyes cut away at the lowerside only. My construction therefor promotes flexibility of the link inpassing around both the front sprocket and the rear roller, and securesgreater efficiency in operation.

The wide hubs space the links laterally on the pivot rods connectingthem, and thus provide suitable clearance spaces between the tops of thelinks for 26% or other desired percentage of draft openings. The links.thus connected form longitudinal strands in which the links in eachstrand alternate with those in adjacent strands, as indicated in thedrawing; The semicircular end bearing surface in each link engages theopposite side of the rod from that engaged by adjacent eyes.

Thus the rods are centered as usual, though only half the usual bearingsurface is provided in each eye, and the frictional leverage transverserods, a series of links having elongated eyes with lateral webs formingsemicircular bearing surfaces at the outer ends of said eyes on thetransverse rods, said webs being cut away above and below the eyes fromeither upper or lower rows of the grate.

In testimony whereof, I have aifixed my signature.

HARRY T. WANDLING.

of clogging material is reduced accordingly.

In my form of link therefore, the waste dirt sifting into the elongated,or otherwise cut away eyes, is afforded only a semicircle for deposit ineach eye, and such accumulated material is readily discharged into theadjacent open space 6 when the link is flexed in passing down over'theusual rear roller. The danger of gripping is practically avoided, andthe bearing is self-cleaning.

The comparatively narrow width of the web above and below the said openspace allows the material that is discharged from the flexed bearing tofall out when passing the front sprockets or the rear roller, or whenthe. link is traveling in either upper or lower.

row of the grate, and the open semicirculau' engagement of my bearing isreadily flexed, andis non-gripping as compared with the usual circulareye bearing or one that is partially open. The consequent reduced powerrequired to flex links of my form, and the greatly lesseneddanger offracture, are evident. In my form, the waste dirt that may enter mysemicircular bearing has not the frictional leverage on the rodpossessed by the larger circumferential area of the usual circular eye,and the open space 6 adjacent the rod also affords full opportunity fordischarge of accumulated material, in any position' of the link.

I do not limit myself to the construction shown, except by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A stoker link comprising a web having horizontally elongated eyes:provided with lateral webs forming semi-circular bearing surfaces attheir outer ends, and cut away above and below the adjacent ends of saideyes from substantially the ends of said semicircular bearings towardsthe center of the link substantially as described.

2. Ina chain grate stoker having links pivotally mounted in upper andlower

